5 Coolest DIY Christmas Gifts

We are now far enough into the Christmas holiday that we are all burnt out from shopping, hungover from parties and sick to death of the music, am I right? It may only be December 7, but it all starts so early these days that I feel as though it is all almost over. Even with weeks to go before the big day is really here. A point that I am constantly reminded of every time I look at the list of presents I still have to make.

I never do big gifts for most of my list. Friend, coworkers, neighbors, my kid's teachers and extended family members are usually on a separate list. One where the main point isn't to give them something so much as it is to show I am thinking of and appreciating them. This is best done (in my opinion) through things I made myself, rather than anything bought from the store.

But what to give? I try to break everyone up into two categories: edible and non-edible. People closer to me go with the former, as it takes more effort for me to make those. The latter are given edible gifts that I can make in bulk and wrap up nicely.

Our previously featured DIY hacks:

This year, myself and my kids will be working together on presents. So I thought I would find some new ideas of DIY Christmas items...here are the five I like most.

1. White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn

I have never been a fan of peppermint, but a ton of people I know are. So every year I have made a version of this treat, heavy on the chocolate to offset the strong flavor of the peppermint coming from candy canes. It is always a big hit, and I am usually asked to make a second batch for parties. This recipe is similar to the one I use, right down to the amount of chocolate. One thing I will say is that you can't forget the salt. It adds a real dimension to the flavor.

2. M&M Four Pack

This is such a cute idea. They took a bunch of bottles from drinks and filled them with M&M's. The labels were created and printed out from their computer, and the box uses a standard carrier they made from poster board. While those bottles would work fine, I know that kind of soda is a little expensive. If you go into the Mexican food aisle of your grocery store (or a Mexican market), you can find fruit sodas in various flavors.

These are much cheaper, and the bottles are exactly the same. Of course there won't always be a box, but you can make your own. Or just put them into a basket. As for the candies, I would suggest the holiday themed package with red and green.

3. Holiday Wreath

You can find a ton of wreath directions around the web, of course. But I have found a lot of them are flimsy and not really made for decorations that last. Since I prefer to make wreaths that can be used year round (or at least multi-seasonal), I think it is better to go with something like this. The florists wire is hard to see and easy to hide, but very durable. It is also easy to make repairs when you need to, so if something happened to the wreath, the person who received it can fix it without any problem.

4. Bulb Centerpieces

I actually made these last year for my Secret Santa, and they were a hit. Mainly because they are so unusual looking, and better than the usual little ornament you throw in a box. You just need some paint, a hot glue gun, burned out Christmas lights (we all have them!) and foam ball. I didn't have any, so I used a soft, plushy ball that came with a dollar store foam bat set. It worked just as well, I just made sure they were more secure.

5. Glittery Fruit

I made these in different colors for a bunch of my neighbors. I got the fruit from a second hand shop, where I had found a bunch of them on sale in a set. Then I put some stretched cotton balls on the bottom of a wicker basket like snow, and glued in the fruit. Along with some plastic foliage, it made a lovely little winter decorative piece, and cost me a couple of bucks a piece! Just cover the fruit in glue, then roll it in the glitter.

Do you know of any cool DIY projects that would make good Christmas gifts? Let us know in the comments!

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